Mallaig harbour, gales and safety concerns.

[dave_gibsea]

A bit of a word of warning really. On my trip round the UK I had planned several crew changes, I always call ahead but as we all know its hard to keep to schedues in small sailing boats. My experience with Mallaig wasnt good; we called ahead the day before and were told to call back in the morning by which time we were at sea. It was a bad line but we were told to stay where we were, the harbour was full (this was 8.30am) so I suggested we hope people would leave then and we would radio in on arrival. We did that but no response so I telephoned to be told it was luch time. So we made our way in and went no onto a pontoon temporarily. HM wasnt happy at all to the point of (almost) rudeness. A gale was due imminently and we managed to negotiate a small finger pontoon. We were also told that crew change visits should be booked two weeks in advance!! I would agree that there were a lot of boats in the harbour but not on the scale of South Coast. Boats were being tunrned away with (in my opinion) few options ahead of the coming gale, surely a space can always be found even if it means rafting or alongside a fishing boat? Even the Skye ferries were cancelled. This is in my opinion a safety issue and is in complete contrast to Newlyn earlier on, when I asked if they might have room they said "we never turn anyone away".
So if you are looking to do crew changes on the West Coast of Scotland I suggest you book well in advance and probably head to Oban. Our experience ended well and , yes wwe probably coud have done more to mitigate this in advnce, I'm very grateful for that but I dread to think of being at anchor in an unfamiliar place in very high winds with a crew stuck unable to reach the boat, hence this post so others may not have this problem.

 

[ylop]

The HM advised you not to come in conditions where the ferries were not operating, you chose to ignore him and then wondered why he was "almost rude". I'm not sure what makes a "crew change" visit special, but given you mention Mallaig and Oban I am guessing you wanted somewhere with rail access. Would seem sensible to book the marina berth the same time you book the train tickets if you need overnight rather than a brief stop. Are people really going to Mallaig harbour (with space for a couple of dozen yachts) and expecting South Coast customer service?

 

[Supertramp]

I can sympathise with the crew change problem and I am not familiar with the growing numbers of micro marinas popping up. Mallaig always was a rough spot in certain wind directions. Weather may dictate a change or delay to plans. Better to let the landbased party sort themselves out for a day or two than to take risks.

I think the West Coast of Scotland (and Ireland) demands the ability and equipment to enable you to ride out a full gale in shelter at anchor. There is usually a safe anchorage not far away for most directions of wind and the biggest issue is often the holding if there is weed (research of charts and pilot guides helps). It is not pleasant and may demand setting a kedge, an anchor watch, sleeping in your boots so to speak and the keys ready in the engine. And a plan B for if you have to exit or change anchorage.

 

[Sandy]

I do love Mallaig, spent many a day there as a child.

I can't think why the HM is suggesting a crew change being booked two weeks in advance as its a few people ambling down the pontoon with some bags and hopefully a bottle of decent whisky.

Back in November 2010 I took this picture as it made me chuckle, see the bottom line.

 

[Minchsailor]

I'm with @ylop on this; Mallaig is small, the pontoons and the buoys can only have space for maybe 20 or so yachts (after allowing for local boats) and that's it. There is physically no more room to squeeze in more.

Remember that some 10 years ago there were very limited facilities there, so we must count our blessings.

On the NW coast (say N of Oban) organising crew changes can be a nightmare; I have sometimes arrived early at an appointed placed and spent a couple of days twiddling my thumbs waiting for crew.

 

[dave_gibsea]

I take the point about being able to anchor but its not so easy without local knowledge and with a gale on the way. Also the idea of turning a vessel away from a safe haven is to me abhorrent but standards change and the world is a different place to what it once was, perhaps some useful comments in the almanacs and pilot books would aver this problem? Certainly I have in 60 years of sailing never encountered being refused entry to a harbour ahead of such conditions without a suitable safe alternative nearby. Anyway my aim in this post was forewarn others so that they do not have this problem,. Criticise me if you will but if this saves a lifeboat being launched to rescue a yacht dragging its anchor in an inhospitable location then I consider it worth while.

 

[dunedin]

I take the point about being able to anchor but its not so easy without local knowledge and with a gale on the way. Also the idea of turning a vessel away from a safe haven is to me abhorrent but standards change and the world is a different place to what it once was, perhaps some useful comments in the almanacs and pilot books would aver this problem? Certainly I have in 60 years of sailing never encountered being refused entry to a harbour ahead of such conditions without a suitable safe alternative nearby. Anyway my aim in this post was forewarn others so that they do not have this problem,. Criticise me if you will but if this saves a lifeboat being launched to rescue a yacht dragging its anchor in an inhospitable location then I consider it worth while.

Sorry, but Scotland has very little pontoon capacity north of Ardnamurchan. It is an area that requires a degree of self sufficiency.
That includes carrying good anchor gear AND appropriate pilot books - for example the excellent Clyde Cruising Club guides.
It is not Lake Solent, so should come prepared or stay South of Ardnamurchan.
There are a lot of boats around from many nationalities, and no possibility of most, let alone all, boats finding visitor pontoon berths in strong winds. Last year Mallaig was full over 36 hours before a forecast gale, hence we continued on to Plockton to anchor there.
PS Has there been any gale forecasts in NW Scotland in the past couple of weeks. Been very breezy, but mostly F3-6, with occasional F7. Not noticed any F8+ but may have missed it
PPS Don't go to Mallaig in a proper gale from the North

 

[Supertramp]

Don't take it as criticism - it's a large area with few harbours and marinas. Everyone makes their decisions in the moment and we weren't there. There are few harbours and those that there are can be bad places to ride out a gale due to swell - Ullapool and Lochinver pre the marina spring to mind. Safe havens for fishing boats but not necessarily yachts. But there are numerous well enclosed anchorages with good holding ground. Practice and judgement count for a lot, just as they do for entering marinas which by the way scares me far more than anchoring.

 

[Ink]

As far as I'm aware, Mallaig has always operated a FCFS service which is common.

In fact the facilities at Mallaig are 100% better than they ever used to be. My Father was told when going in for bread and milk in the 70's that he better not even think about tying up to a fishing boat.

Why didn't you think about going into Arisaig and dropping an anchor? Pretty safe place in a gale and a train station to boot.

Ink

The HM advised you not to come in conditions where the ferries were not operating, you chose to ignore him and then wondered why he was "almost rude". I'm not sure what makes a "crew change" visit special, but given you mention Mallaig and Oban I am guessing you wanted somewhere with rail access. Would seem sensible to book the marina berth the same time you book the train tickets if you need overnight rather than a brief stop. Are people really going to Mallaig harbour (with space for a couple of dozen yachts) and expecting South Coast customer service?

 

[boomerangben]

It’s easy to suggest that Mallaig is better on paper than motoring in for real. I’ve never been in on a vessel, using Arisaig and Morar (don’t try the latter without a small boat and a centreboard) instead. Visiting on foot rather deterred me from using as it is simply busy, small and not particularly sheltered.

but having done a bit of sailing in those parts I can highly recommend all the pilot books which bring local knowledge onto a first time visitors chart table and Antares charts into your mobile device meaning anchorage’s you’ve never visited can be safely used.

 

[Cardinal]

Slightly off topic, for which I apologise, mention of a FCFS policy brings to mind that the Seafood Bar at Crinan Hotel used to operate such a policy but a recent visit made clear that it no longer does so. Booking seems now to be the only way to get a table there.

 

[Resolution]

Certainly I have in 60 years of sailing never encountered being refused entry to a harbour ahead of such conditions without a suitable safe alternative nearby.

Last year we were kicked out of Kos Marina in Greece into a full-bodied meltemi because they were fully booked with about 100 charter yachts to do their changeover. Part of my annoyance at being ejected was that it would have been class entertainment watching the various charterers berthing in 30 to 40 knot winds. Instead we had to find shelter in a bay ten miles away, and spent a busy night on anchor watch. No complaints really, it's not always going to be idyllic.

 

[Bodach na mara]

I am sorry that dave_gibsea had problems accessing the limited facilities of Mallaig. I have not been there personally since 1965, when the only attraction of the place was for anchoring to take on stores from the very limited shopping available. There were no moorings for visitors and berthing at the pier was not possible, as has been mentioned. Even when the pontoons were installed, I didn't call in as there are better places to visit. Arisaig is about 2 hours sail to the south and Isle Ornsay is a similar distance to the north and both offer sheltered anchoring , although the latter offers little in the way of facilities for provisioning.

As for rail connections, there are very limited opportunities north of Oban. Fort William obviously, but it is a bit out of the way, Arisaig and Mallaig on the West Highland line are possible and Plockton (accessible from Inverness) are about it. Such are the delights of cruising in remote areas.

 

[Minerva]

One attraction of Mallaig these days is the superb takeaway pizza in the rotunda on the shore, really top notch toilets & showers too.

As others have rightly pointed out, don’t ever expect a pontoon, especially in a blow on the west coast. In the vicinity of Mallaig there are a goodly number of secure anchorages and they should be the first presumption for where you’ll ride out the blow. You can also presume you’ll get at least one very well ventilated day each fortnight.

 

[lenten]

i called into the harbour office by car for local imformation and a weather forecast----HM printed me out an advanced forecast-----few days later i tied up on the new pontoons and asked the HM if i could stay for a few hours-- weather was getting bad for a 15 foot boat---yes no charge------found the HM very friendly and helpful

 

[Minchsailor]

Armadale - now the yact

 

[wully1]

perhaps some useful comments in the almanacs and pilot books would aver this problem?

You DID have a copy of the Clyde Cruising Club /Imray pilot onboard?

You DID read the intro?

If not then hell mend ye.

 

[zoidberg]

I’ve never been in on a vessel, using Arisaig and Morar (don’t try the latter without a small boat and a centreboard) instead..... and Antares charts into your mobile device meaning anchorage’s you’ve never visited can be safely used.

Having sailed into and out of wee Loch Morar, I wouldn't dream of trying in anything bigger than the inflatable Catapult we were using for dinghy camping. It was knee-shallow all the way out to the entrance.... as the Antares chartlet now shows.

I'm thinking that Isleornsay, 11 miles north of Mallaig, could well be a suitable bolthole in the circumstances of a forecast gale. There's Loch Scresort and Canna Harbour to the west ( but neither well served by the West Highland Line ), and Loch Moidart and Loch Ailort ( rail halt ) a dozen miles or so to the south. Both of these require a justified competence in pilotage - not just an RYA Day Skipper sustificate - and trad anchoring 'to stay put'. ( Edit: as Bodach na mara has said earlier.... )

There's some advantage to Minerva's 'well ventilated days'. That's that the big clegs and squadrons of West Highland midges get blown away usually eastward. It takes them almost a full day to get back, for like Westerlys they don't go well to windward....

 

[jamie N]

Haha! The notion of Canna being in the same sentence as the West Highland Line does give me a chuckle!

 

[Minchsailor]

You DID have a copy of the Clyde Cruising Club /Imray pilot onboard?

You DID read the intro?

If not then hell mend ye.

Can I be allowed a comment. I have in the past played a very minor part in editing the CCC's SDs.

In the introduction for N of Ardnurmurchan there is comprehensive advice in sailing in the region, in particular that it is an area with fewer facilities than can be expected elsewhere, and that yachts should be well equipped, supplied and crewed. In particular, the Skipper may need to be more experienced than is the minimum than is the normal in more sheltered areas. Anchors are mentioned - may need to be larger/heavier than supplied with the boat.

Navigation may also be challenging.

I have a particular gripe with naming of 'facilties'. Just because there is the word 'marina' in the title ha connotations which may not be realised. I have in mind Lochmaddy Tarbert (Isle of Harris). Both offer indifferent shelter, especially the former, and I avoid them like the plague. This is something I have discussed with the Editor of the SDs, but it was decided the status quo should remain and it is the skippers responsibility to ensure suitability of conditions.

The situation is not made any easier by the variety of ownership structures - commercial private companies (eg Arisaig), community associations, often with a voluntary element ,(Plockton Dunvegan), the local land owning estate (Lochaline) and so on.